While reading a chart the nurse notes the patient has a gene mutation that affects protein structure, producing hemoglobin S. The patient will experiences symptoms of:

Question

A) Edema
B) Thrombotic organ damage
C) Metastasis of a glioblastoma
D) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback: Sickle cell anemia is an example of a genetic condition caused by a small gene mutation that affects protein structure, producing hemoglobin S. A person who inherits two copies of the hemoglobin S gene mutation has sickle cell anemia and experiences the symptoms of severe anemia and thrombotic organ damage resulting in hypoxia. The patient with sickle cell anemia may experience edema, but it would not be related to the gene mutation. A glioblastoma is a neurologic tumor. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease which can occur as a result of an inherited mutation, but not a mutation of hemoglobin S.